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2
Shipboard Power
System Architectures
Since the rst electrical light was installed on the American ship Columbia in 1880
and the subsequent denial of insurance due to safety fears of electrical re, the electri-
cal power plants in modern ships have grown in size and complexity with the growing
demands on ship size, speed, economy, safety, comfort, and convenience. From the
original electrical power of a few kilowatts at 120 V, some of today’s navy and cruise
ships require an electrical load of over 100 MW at a voltage of 11 kV or higher.
2.1 TYPES OF SHIP DRIVES
The ship requires a large mechanical power for propulsion and a small electrical ...